The first 25 geek movies of 2012

Continuing our annual tradition of previewing the geek-centric theatrical movie releases for the coming year, we offer up the first 25 sci-fi, fantasy and horror flicks that will hit U.S. cinemas in the first quarter of 2012.

Nine survivors of a nuclear attack hide out in a bomb shelter beneath a New York tenement, and slowly go all Lifeboat+ Lord of the Flies crazy. Terminator's Michael Biehn headlines the creepy, depressing cast.

Artsy chick-flick with a sci-fi premise: A chef (Ewan McGregor) and a research biologist (Eva Green) fall in love amidst an epidemic that robs victims of sensory perception. There could be worse date movies.

My ability to circumlocute the profanity filter only goes so far, so I'll say only that if you're looking for a reason to punish yourself, I suppose enduring Jar Jar in three dimensions would qualify as adequate self-flagellation.Release date: Feb. 10Geekend rating:Never

Anime genius Hayao Miyazaki's 2010 adaptation of the classic Mary Norton children's novel The Borrowers finally hits U.S. theaters. The story involves a family of four-inch-tall sprites that live in the walls of a country cottage, and the young boy who befriends and defends them. Expect heartwarming beauty, in every sense of the word.

The fairy tale characters survived their gingerbread house encounter, have grown up into Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton, and now hunt witches as James Bond-style assassins. And yes, this is live-action. And steampunk. And a black comedy.

Yes, this. Animation genius Andrew Stanton (WALL-Eand Finding Nemo) switches to live action cinema by finally tackling Edgar Rice Burroughs's Barsoom series about a Confederate officer transported to a dying Martian civilization in the midst of its own Civil War. Oh, and uber-nerd Pulitzer-winning novelist Michael Chabon pitched in on the screenplay. Attendance is mandatory.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen[trailer]Ewan McGregor in (yet another) quasi-science date flick about a biologist goaded into introducing salmon to the limited freshwater reserves of Yemen, who then falls in love with Emily Blunt. This really should have been out around Feb. 14.
Release date:Mar. 9Geekend rating: Cable

Silent House[trailer]Remake of an infamous single-take (as in, there are no cuts; it's shot like a stage play from a single point of view) South American horror film. The new one stars Elizabeth Olsen as a woman trapped inside a haunted lakehouse, and it uses the same trippy filming technique, so it should at least look interesting.
Release date:Mar. 9Geekend rating:Cable

The studio behind Wallace & Gromit bring us a claymation version of Gideon Defoe's cleverly fun The Pirates! children's book series. Goofball swashbucklers battle rivals for the Pirate of the Year award, defeating Queen Victoria, and teaming up with Charles Darwin along the way. Because why the frak not?

Release date:Mar. 30Geekend rating:Matinee

Disagree with my ratings? Think we missed one? Want to make a prediction about the unexpected bombs and blockbusters in the group? Sound off in the comments.

About Jay Garmon

Jay Garmon has a vast and terrifying knowledge of all things obscure, obtuse, and irrelevant. One day, he hopes to write science fiction, but for now he'll settle for something stranger — amusing and abusing IT pros. Read his full profile. You can a...

Full Bio

Jay Garmon has a vast and terrifying knowledge of all things obscure, obtuse, and irrelevant. One day, he hopes to write science fiction, but for now he'll settle for something stranger — amusing and abusing IT pros. Read his full profile. You can also follow him on his personal blog.